Hello, Goodbye, Hello
by lordtrayus
Summary: Set at the end of 2x17. Max has had a crappy day, and Alec is there to comfort her like a true friend. But can she overcome her issues with him and let him help her? No romance. I watched the episode and thought Alec was so sweet in that episode I just had to write this. Enjoy!


**Disclaimer: I do not own Dark Angel**

Hello, Goodbye, Hello

It had been a strange day, and it had quite frankly sucked. After she had accidentally touched Logan at Crash, he of course had nearly died as a result of the virus that Manticore had infected her with. She had called Alec to help save him with a blood transfusion, but he had then been arrested for something that his twin, Ben, had done before she had killed him. And what was more, Joshua had also suffered his first heartbreak, as he was unable to pursue a relationship with blind girl Annie, simply because after everything they had been through, after everything she had tried to do to protect them all, a transgenic had been spotted on live TV, and to make matters worse had been killed.

As such, her day had sucked. Transgenics had been exposed. Logan thought she was with Alec, which she had told him to keep him away from her in order to protect her. Joshua was upset. Alec had found out his twin brother had been a murderer. And now everything had changed.

Max cursed under her breath to herself as she looked out across post-Pulse Seattle. She had had to tell Logan that she was with Alec. He had seen them together, and had assumed the worst. And, in her quest to protect him, she had allowed him to think that, allowed him to think that she would date Alec so that he would leave her alone so that he would no longer be in danger.

She was doing the right thing, that's what she kept telling herself. But it didn't feel like that. Instead it felt like there was a bullet in her heart, twisted in and unable to get out, and it wasn't getting any better. She knew she was hurting Logan, she knew she was hurting Joshua, and she knew she was hurting herself and she felt all the crappier for it. Heck, she even felt bad for hurting Alec.

Earlier had been strange. After she had launched a vicious tirade at him, which even she had to admit he hadn't deserved, they had gone back to her apartment and she had told him about Ben. He had been angry, she could see that. His eyes were practically screaming '_how could you keep this from me_' but as she had told him what had happened to Ben, she had felt him come around beside her, and for the first time since they had met, he had hugged her to him, kissing her head gently to make her feel better, to make her feel like she wasn't alone in this.

But that was part of the problem. She was alone in this. She had been the one who had blown up Manticore. She had set all the transgenics loose, including Joshua and Alec. And unlike her brother, Zack, who had given his life for her, well at least his heart, she hadn't been able to keep track of them all. So some were dead. Others were captured. Others were lost in the wilderness. And others were trying to make their way in the messed up world they found themselves part of. And all of them were now exposed.

True, she had a hell of a lot more people to look out for than Zack had had. But still. And now they also had White's freaky blood cult wackjobs on their tail, and from what Sketchy had said, it was definitely him who had captured the one who had been killed live on tv.

Yeah, today had sucked.

But even with everything that had gone on today, the end of her relationship with Logan, the lies she had told, the exposure of transgenics which was only going to cause trouble for her and others like her, Logan nearly dying, there was still a part of her that had felt bad about what she had said to Alec. Never before had she felt bad for stuff she had said to him, she had treated him badly since day one. Part of it was his own fault, he was a pain in the ass at times, and she and he had both said as much. Some of it was because of what had happened with Ben, who had killed dozens of innocent people because he wanted to cause some of the pain that Manticore had to him. Some of it was because she just treated him that way because she could, lashing out at someone who she felt she could afford to alienate.

Funny how that had turned out. Today, she had been the only person aside from Original Cindy who had been on her side.

Max winced as she remembered exactly what she had said to him. When she had found out that he had been arrested for murder, she had gone to the police station to bust him out to prevent exposure. Furious that he had let her down when she had needed him, she had unleashed a bitter diatribe against him, citing all the issues that she hadn't vented when they had fought a few weeks before. It didn't matter to her that he had been nabbed on the way to her, all that mattered was that he had let her down, and she had been furious.

"_I'm sorry I let you out of Manticore and I'm sorry I inflicted you on the world_."

That had hurt him, and she had never thought she would see the reproachful look in his eyes that he gave her then. She had then told him she was abandoning him to White, despite knowing full well what White would do to him if he caught him. And she had been fully prepared to walk out of there, abandoning someone she had let out in the world to their fate, someone who unlike others had integrated well even if he did drive her crazy. But then he had furiously demanded to know if she thought he could murder someone. Truth was, she didn't. She knew how much killing his last target had affected him, but she was beyond pissed, and by that time, so was he, angry that she thought so little of him despite the times he's helped her. But she had been prepared to abandon him there, leave him to his fate, until he told her exactly what happened, how the victim's teeth had been pulled out, and, hating herself, had realised exactly who had killed the person Alec was accused of killing.

His twin. And her insane brother Ben.

He had then pleaded with her, and she had finally taken his side, and helped him to escape.

But she had a feeling what she had said back in that interview room would come back and bite her in the ass.

He had been mad, she knew that. Mad that she had kept what Ben had done quiet from him. Mad about she had always treated him, even when he had done very little to deserve it. True, he knew he had done some things to warrant some abuse, but she had always seemed to revel in antagonising him, having a go at him.

Yet when she had been upset, about Logan, about Ben, even though he could have just said 'told you so', thanked her and left, he hadn't. Instead, seeing she was upset, he had walked around to her, kissing her forehead and holding her to calm her down. He had prattled, sure, like he always did, but he had been there, and despite his prattle usually pissing her off, this time it had actually managed to cheer her up. And despite the uncaring, barely tolerant demeanour she had always treated him with, he had cared about her, offering comfort for her relationship with Logan and about Ben, holding her close and telling her he was sorry, though it wasn't his fault. They had spent the rest of the time in amicable silence, talking only a little, about some of her other fellow escapees, about Ben in particular.

Hours later, she had felt herself finally able to admit that Alec was her friend. He had thanked her, and she had admitted that it was largely due to Ben that she was such a bitch to him at times. And the fact that he was a pain in the ass, which she did agree with, but not viciously like usual, she did it with a laugh and allowed him to hug her, and they had parted on the best terms they had ever had.

Until the world had gone straight to hell again.

And now here she was, sitting on her usual perch, overlooking the city, wondering if she was indeed poison. She was to Logan, and now he probably hated her on top of that, thinking she had traded him for Alec. She had acted noxiously to Alec ever since he had escaped. In fact, aside from Original Cindy, Joshua, Logan and Sketchy, she had hardly treated anyone decently.

"Hey Max, thought I'd find you here." Alec said as he came up beside her.

"I come here to be alone." She said coldly, not knowing why she was suddenly angry with him again. Here he was, trying to be nice, and all she did was give him the cold shoulder as usual.

Alec looked away, and she was briefly torn. Did she want him to leave, or did she want him to be his usual stubborn self and stay?

"Yeah I know. But after everything that went down today, I thought we could both use a friend about now." He said, and she had to admit he had a point.

"Sit down." She said, not grudgingly, but not entirely welcoming either.

He sat down close to her, and she well understood that for what it was. An offer of comfort if she wanted it. Not romantic, just there, for the first time. Yeah, something with them had changed. For the better.

"So, you got any deep realisations you want to share? Any profound realisations about life?" he asked, his usual prattle, and if she had felt any cheerier, she would have smiled. As it was, she had as much chance of doing that as walking to the moon.

"Yeah. Love sucks." She said savagely, and he nodded a little.

They sat there for a while, both of them looking out at the city quietly. Until he went there.

"You should have told me." He said softly, not condemning, but not supporting it either.

Max glowered at him, but it was a testament to his courage that he didn't even consider flinching, he just gazed unflinchingly back.

"Why should I? He was my brother, not yours." She said angrily, and Alec narrowed his eyes, bitter anger beneath them.

"Yeah, he might not have been my brother and I might not have known him like you did. But he was my twin. The same as me. Don't you think I had a right to know what it was that he did? What went wrong?" he demanded, and she looked away grudgingly, knowing that he was right.

She should have told him. She hadn't. If she had, she might have been able to avoid the whole mess with Logan so much more easily, then could have focused on other things.

"I know. I should have told you. You...you did deserve to know. You should have found out from me, not from the police. I'm sorry." She said softly, and she could see him nod, a small superior grin on his face.

"Bet that hurt." He commented idly, and she shrugged her shoulders.

"Is that why I was always the bad guy Max? Because I was Ben? I mean, I've given you a lot of reasons to be pissed with me, I know I have, but the virus and Joshua things aside, I've never really done anything to make you really mad. Or is it because Manticore wanted me to be your training partner?" he asked, and she sighed before turning to him.

"Did you ever think it might be none of your damn business?" she asked waspishly.

Alec glowered.

"No. Because you hate me for a whole bunch of reasons, and I think I ought to know what I did was so bad. How can I fix it if you don't tell me?" he asked, and she looked at him in surprise.

He wanted to fix it? He actually wanted to change? Max knew it wouldn't last long. Give him a day or two, or he'd soon be the arrogant, cocky player everyone knew and that Normal fantasised over. But, what if she did something she hadn't done before, and gave him a chance to prove himself? Did she finally give him a break?

She sat debating this for a few minutes in silence, and while she did so, Alec swore and stood.

"You know what Max? Just forget it. I'll get out of your life, you're never going to be happy until I do are you? That's what's bothering you, the fact that you didn't let me burn in Manticore like I so obviously deserve, like you want. Don't worry, I'll make you proud before I go and throw myself into their charred ruins, I'll kill a couple of people just like you think I could. Good luck with White and Logan." He said angrily, and headed for the door.

She knew the things she had said in the station would come back and bite her backside. Why was it so hard for her to give him a break? Did she really assume that he was a monster, like Ben had become?

No, she didn't. He may be a pain in the ass, a risk taker, and a player, but he definitely wasn't a killer not unless he really had to, and even then he would only do it reluctantly. He was no monster. He was just like her, created in a lab, foisted into a world where he had to adapt to survive and it was her who had put him there. But other than to save his life every now and again, did she ever really help him? Did she really wish he had never been let out? Did she really want him to leave?

She knew that was the only threat that he had just said that he might carry out, but she couldn't. He was her responsibility. He was here because of her, and she relentlessly persecuted him, judged him, mocked him and dug at him, always assuming it would all just bounce off. Yet, after today, he had come here, tonight, to be there for her, and as usual she had forced him away from her. The one who had freed him, introduced him to life outside Manticore, which he had hated just as much as she, Zack and the others, but they had had no escape, and he had been trapped there until she had set the place alight. She had fled and left him there for Manticore to mess up even further. She had never failed to blame him for everything that went wrong, as though every problem in her life was his fault. True, a few were, but not all of them. She had treated him with cold disdain time and again, but had relied on him just as he had relied on her. She wouldn't be here now if not for him.

He was one of her kin. But because of Ben, and because he was reckless, she was all too keen to blame him for everything, force him away from her, and because he kept coming back, she just kept pushing him away. She hadn't been fair to him, never had. She had persecuted him from day one, and Cindy and Logan had both followed her lead. Joshua and Sketchy didn't, but that didn't mean anything. She was the one who brought him here, and she had let her anger at herself and Ben push him away, just like she had always tried to push everyone else away. Even though he had always been willing to help, even reluctantly, and had always tried to make up for things that he had done.

She smiled a little. He was part of her family. The black sheep, to be sure, but he was part of it.

"Alec!" she protested just as he was about to go inside the building.

He turned and glowered at her.

"Don't stop me now Max, I'm doing what you wanted, leaving. You don't need to worry about me anymore." He growled, and turned to leave, but she darted in front of him, blocking his progress.

"Please don't leave." She said quietly, looking at him pleadingly.

He was taken aback. She had never wanted him around, and now she wanted him to stick around? Damn X5 escapees, none of them were wired together properly.

"What?" he asked in confusion.

"Don't leave. Look Alec, I admit. I should have told you about what happened to Ben. But I never should have let my feelings about Ben affect you. You aren't him. You're cockier than he was for a start. And, murder charges aside, you get into a lot more trouble than him. But you aren't him. Even though you look exactly like him. I've had this living, breathing reminder of who he was with me all this time, and because I was angry at him for what he did, angry with myself for killing him, I was a complete bitch to you. Even though you did deserve it some of the time, I still shouldn't have treated you the way I did." She said softly.

"Max, it doesn't matter..." Alec said, but she shook her head, tears coming into her eyes.

"You were just like him in so many ways, and I hated myself, so I took it out on you. And after everything else, and the fact that you were such a smart ass, it became easier and easier to blame you, even though it was sometimes nothing to do with you. I blamed you when I wanted to blame myself, so you became my punching bag, and I..." she said, beginning to sob, and was surprised but pleased when Alec pulled her to him and just held her soothingly, stroking her hair.

"Hey, it's ok Max. We both know I deserved it a lot of the time. It doesn't matter ok? You want me to be your punching bag, you got it." He said with a smile and she sniffed in amusement.

"It wasn't fair though. And I'm sorry." She said, vowing never to admit to him that when he put his mind to it, he actually gave quite a good hug.

"It's ok. Max, what you said-?" he began, and she could tell that he needed to know.

After all, she supposed darkly, she supposed she was the closest thing he had to family.

"I didn't mean it. I was angry because you hadn't helped Logan. I know you had no control, but I was pissed anyway. I wouldn't really abandon you. I think that you'd find a new way to make my life a misery if I did anyway." She mused, and he grinned.

"Yeah probably would. But just so you know, I would never..."

"I know. I shouldn't have said it. I know you wouldn't just go out and kill someone randomly. You may fleece them for everything they've got, insult them or deal them stims, but you wouldn't kill them." She admitted with a small smile, and he stepped back and looked at her hopefully.

"So, you're glad that you didn't leave me at Manticore?" he asked, and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah I suppose so." She admitted grudgingly, and he smiled.

"Awesome." He said happily, and she sat down again, letting him sit down beside her.

"Look Max, I know I'm a jerk, but I am your friend. You can't keep all this to yourself. It isn't your fault everything's so screwed up." He said softly, and she smiled.

"Thanks Alec." She said, once more allowing him to hug her to him.

"You're welcome. Cindy, Joshua, Logan, me, we all want to help, despite what we say. Just ask us and we're there." He said, and she smiled in acknowledgment.

"I know. This doesn't mean that I don't think you're an ass though." She warned, and he rolled his eyes.

"I figured. But I'm your ass right?" he asked with his cocky grin and she nodded.

"Yeah, you are." She said.

They sat out there for another hour, and she supposed he must never have been quiet this long. She decided to break the silence.

"Logan thinks we're together." She said, and he looked at her incredulously.

"What? Why the hell would he think that?" he demanded, and she sniggered.

"Well he saw you hug me earlier, and I needed an excuse not to see him again, and you were, well, it." She admitted feebly, and he burst out laughing.

"Great. I can see the 'Eyes Only' broadcast tomorrow naming me as the one who launched the Pulse or something." He said and she laughed.

"He won't do that. But, might not hurt to keep out his way for a few days huh?" and he nodded in agreement.

They sat there a little longer, just two friends being there for each other after a crappy day.

"Alec?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"You too."

She smiled as he hugged her a little tighter to warm her up. It had taken them a while, but they were finally friends. Finally family.

**Greetings to you!**

**The idea for this story came to me after I watched the episode Hello, Goodbye, it was such a nice episode with Alec and Max finally getting along, and Max finally starting to be nice to him (took her a while). I know he has annoyed her sometimes, but still, he isnt responsible for everything that goes wrong. He was so sweet when he just held her in the apartment and came for her on the tower. **

**Anyway, this is just me testing the water with this little one shot, I hope you like it and please read and review!  
**


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